Startup Kit - Sample Bylaws

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Sample Bylaws

These are intended as a guideline only. Please modify them to suit your coop's needs or create your own entirely.

 

DEFINITIONS

  1. Requester: The member leaving children in a sitter’s care
  2. Sitter: The member caring for the requester’s children
  3. Moderator: The temporary leader of the coop, responsible for planning meetings and resolving disputes. Each member will have a turn in this role, with each turn lasting a period of three months.

ELIGIBILITY and JOIN PROCESS

  1. Prospective members must reside between (east) Street and (west) Street, and between (north) Street and (south) Street. Prospective members on the border may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  2. Prospective members must pass a home visit inspection to be considered for admission.
  3. If a prospective member meets the above criteria, the current membership will vote on the prospective member at the next business meeting. Majority vote grants admission.

MEDICAL CARE AND HOME SAFETY

  1. Members are required to have and show proof of comprehensive homeowners’ or renters’ liability insurance.
  2. Members must disclose whether they own a gun. Members who own guns must sign and comply with a gun safety form.
  3. No member will utilize the coop or provide services when there is a contagious illness in their home. Sitters may refuse to sit, penalty-free, due to a contagious illness in the requester’s home.
  4. The coop may suspend or terminate a member at any time if that member’s home is deemed unsafe.

POINTS

  1. Points will be tracked on the coop site, SittingAround, which displays a historical record of sits and balances.
  2. Sitters will receive four points per hour for the first child who is awake
  3. Sitters will receive two points per hour for each additional child who is awake
  4. Once all children are asleep, sitter will receive four points per hour regardless of how many children there are.
  5. Time will be calculated to the nearest quarter hour. The smallest increment of points that will be awarded is one.
  6. Members will be allowed to go into debt up to 50 points. Members will be required to reduce their debt below 50 points before they may request a sitter.
  7. Should a member quit the coop with a debt, he/she will be required to pay the coop $1 for each point owed.
  8. Members who have not participated in the coop for 12 months or more will be considered to have quit. At that time, debt repayment will be due.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

  1. Members must attempt to resolve disputes between themselves before contacting the moderator.
  2. If members cannot reach resolution, they may ask the moderator to intervene. Moderator must remain fair and impartial.
  3. The moderator can credit and debit members’ points as needed.
  4. The moderator’s decision is to be respected as final.
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